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After just two seasons as coach of the LA Sparks, Curt Miller was dismissed by the franchise on Tuesday. The Sparks announced that it was a mutual agreement to part ways, with Miller ending his career in Los Angeles with a losing 25-55 record.
Miller arrived in 2023 after seven seasons in charge of the Connecticut Sun. He coached the Sparks to a 17-23 record last year, which wasn't enough to make the playoffs. They were one game away from reaching the postseason but had high hopes for this year.
However, the Sparks were the worst team in the league, finishing 8-32, which was well below expectations. It didn't help that Nneka Ogwumike departed in free agency, but Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink were expected to make the team competitive.
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Brink showed flashes of greatness, especially on defense, but she went down with a knee injury in June.
Jackson proved that she could score at this level, but the team was just not built to win a lot of games. Dearica Hamby was a surprising source of hope, averaging career highs of 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
"On behalf of our ownership group and franchise, I would like to thank Coach Miller for his passion and commitment to the Sparks organization these past two seasons. We wish him well moving forward," Team Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said in a statement.
Miller had a proven track record with the Connecticut Sun, leading them to the playoffs six times. The Sun made trips to the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022 but lost to the Washington Mystics and the Las Vegas Aces, respectively.
Apart from an overall record of 165-141, Miller is a one-time WNBA Coach of the Year and one-time Executive of the Year, both won in 2017. He's also the first openly gay male coach in college basketball and the WNBA.
"I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise. I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season," Miller said in a statement.
Before Miller got fired, there seemed to be a positive atmosphere within the LA Sparks locker room despite their record. Veteran guard Kia Nurse praised the locker room for being great even though the season wasn't going according to plan.
So why did the Sparks front office parted ways with Miller? Let's explore
Sparks ownership looking at a different coach to start rebuilding
The LA Sparks ownership probably didn't have rebuilding on their minds when they entered the 2024 WNBA season. Now, they have the best chance to land the first overall pick in next year's draft, which will be headlined by UConn star guard Paige Bueckers.
Maybe the Sparks ownership felt that Curt Miller wasn't the right coach for a rebuilding roster. So they are probably already looking at assistant coaches around the league. The Next Hoops has predicted Pokey Chatman of the Seattle Storm, Karima Christmas-Kelly of the Indiana Fever, Brandi Poole of the Dallas Wings and Katie Smith of the Minnesota Lynx.
They also named Wings head coach Latricia Trammell as a potential candidate, especially if Dallas parts ways with her. Nicki Collen should also be a plausible option, but new franchises like Golden State, Toronto or Portland could be more lucrative destinations.
Sparks ownership doesn't know what they are doing
Magic Johnson took some indirect shots at Curt Miller for possibly failing to make the right adjustments when injuries decimated the roster, as per the Los Angeles Times. Johnson is a part of the LA Sparks' ownership group that bought the franchise from the Buss Family in 2013.
Despite winning a championship in 2016, Los Angeles has been languishing since general manager Penny Toler was fired three years later. They have let players like Candace Parker, Chelsea Gray and Nneka Ogwumike walk in free agency.
The franchise doesn't even have a decent practice facility despite the rise of the league's popularity over the past year. They have the cap space to attract maximum contract players this summer, but with how things are going, it might not be a lucrative option, especially with the California tax looming.
Magic Johnson didn't want Curt Miller in Los Angeles
Here's what Magic Johnson said about Curt Miller to the Los Angeles Times last week:
"We wait until the season is over and we look at everybody. ... There's nothing I can tell you right now. Curt has been up against it because injuries have hurt us ... but you've got to look at it from both sides. ... Did he make the proper adjustments, did he use the talent well? ... You also have to say, 'Hey we are 7-32 for a reason.'"
That's not a vote of confidence from Johnson, who also told the LA Times that he would be more involved with the franchise, including front office decisions. So there's a chance that Miller's dismissal came from the higher-ups.
